Surgical biopsy device

Abstract

A surgical core biopsy apparatus, having a hollow elongated member with an axis and a leading end, a sharpened edge at a portion of the leading end for cutting tissue along the axis, an actuator, and a cutting edge, linked to the actuator, being movable along a path including a transverse component to the axis, effective for severing tissue along an the path. The path is preferably an arcuate path, the cutting device being pivoted about an axis transverse to the axis of said hollow elongated member at said leading end. The actuator preferably acts by way of a compression force transmitted along the axis by a compression member, from a handle portion to the cutting edge. The elongated member is preferably a tube having two or more lumens, a first large centrally located lumen for accommodating a tissue core sample, and at least one other eccentrically located rectangular cross section lumen containing the compression member. The biopsy apparatus may be used, for example, to obtain a percutaneous excision breast biopsy from a tumor whose location is marked with a radiopaque guide wire.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical biopsy apparatus comprising: a hollow elongated member, having an axis, and a distal end;   a circular sleeve member disposed radially around an exterior surface of the hollow elongated member;   a sharpened edge at a portion of said distal end for cutting tissue along said axis;   an actuator;   a sliding steel member connected to said actuator for extending towards the distal end upon actuation of the actuator;   an arm having first and second ends, said first end connected to said actuator and said second end connected to said circular sleeve member; and   a cutting edge, linked to said actuator, by said sliding steel member, said cutting edge being moveable along a path including a transverse component to said axis, effective for severing tissue along said path.   
     
     
       2. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said path is an arcuate path, said sharpened edge being pivoted about an axis near said distal end transverse to said axis of said hollow elongated member. 
     
     
       3. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for localizing tissue to be biopsied. 
     
     
       4. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said tissue localizing means is a guide wire. 
     
     
       5. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a guide wire centering device. 
     
     
       6. The surgical biopsy apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guide wire further includes a barbed retaining portion for extending into a tissue mass. 
     
     
       7. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said tissue localizing means is a radiological apparatus. 
     
     
       8. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hollow elongated member is a tube having a round central lumen. 
     
     
       9. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hollow elongated member having at least two lumens, having a round central lumen and at least one eccentric lumen, each being smaller than said round central lumen. 
     
     
       10. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuator causes a compression force to be transmitted to said cutting edge. 
     
     
       11. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said actuator is mechanically linked to said cutting edge, to transmit said compression force. 
     
     
       12. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tensile member for retracting a tissue core biopsy sample after being severed by said cutting edge. 
     
     
       13. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surgical biopsy apparatus is adapted for disposal after a single use. 
     
     
       14. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuator communicates with said cutting edge by a method selected from the group consisting of mechanical tensile force, mechanical compressive force, mechanical torque, electric signal, pneumatic signal, and hydraulic signal. 
     
     
       15. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide wire locating member, and a system for ensuring that a tip of a guide wire located by said guide wire locating member is within a path of said cutting edge. 
     
     
       16. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutting edge and said sharpened edge are formed from an integral sheet of metal. 
     
     
       17. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutting edge is movable along said path by an extension integral with said cutting edge which travels within said hollow elongated member. 
     
     
       18. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said integral extension is moved between a resting position and a severing position by a compressive force. 
     
     
       19. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an ergonomically adapted handle. 
     
     
       20. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said actuator comprises a trigger affixed in proximity to said handle. 
     
     
       21. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sharpened edge includes a central lobe which tapers proximally on both sides. 
     
     
       22. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises radiotransparent materials. 
     
     
       23. The surgical biopsy apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unidirectional mechanism for actuating said cutting edge in a single direction. 
     
     
       24. A surgical biopsy apparatus comprising: a hollow elongated member, having an axis, and a distal end;   a pair of sharpened edges at a portion of said distal end for cutting tissue along said axis;   an actuator; and   a pivot axis near said distal end;   said actuator transmitting a signal to at least one of said sharpened edges, said signal causing said at least one sharpened edge to fold about said pivot axis toward said other sharpened edge, moving through an arcuate path, about said pivot axis, having a transverse component to said axis, effective for severing tissue along said path.   
     
     
       25. A surgical method, comprising: identifying a tissue sample to be biopsied;   inserting a guide wire through the tissue sample;   inserting a biopsy instrument into a body, the instrument having: a hollow elongated member, having an axis, and a distal end;   a sharpened edge at a portion of said distal end;   an actuator; and   a pivot axis near said distal end,   said actuator transmitting a signal to said sharpened edge causing said sharpened edge to fold about said pivot axis, to move through an arcuate path having a transverse component to said axis, effective for severing tissue along an said path;     forming a tissue core within the hollow elongated member;   actuating the actuator to cause the sharpened edge to fold, thereby severing a base of the tissue core from the body; and   removing the instrument with the tissue core contained therewithin from the body.